The Pope has confirmed months of speculation by announcing he will visit Philadelphia in September of 2015.

During a meeting on marriage at the Vatican this morning, Nov. 17, the pope said he intends to visit Philadelphia at the conclusion of the Sept. 22-25, 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

Although few details of the papal visit have made public, organizers for the families’ congress expect Pope Francis to arrive Friday, Sept. 25 for an afternoon public visit with civic officials.

That would begin his first trip as pope to the United States and the second papal visit to Philadelphia in a generation; St. Pope John Paul II visited the city in 1979. The visit will mark the fourth time a sitting pontiff has visited the U.S.

Philly.com is reporting that a Papal Mass would be likely held Sunday, Sept. 27. Both these events will take place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. They will be open to the public.

It's expected more than a million people would attend the mass.

It was widely assumed Francis would come to Philadelphia. But the official announcement from Rome came shortly after 3 a.m. Philadelphia time and nevertheless generated buzz in the city.

 

 

More From Lite 96.9 WFPG